The Asian boss of accounting giant PwC says Australia has stopped innovating. He spoke at the National Press Club this week on big ideas, big projects and the big reform needed of the tax system.

I’m not an elected leader, and therefore I don’t presume to tell Australia’s politicians what to do. I’m just an ordinary citizen, although admittedly a very fortunate one.

And as head of Australia’s largest professional services firm, PwC, I’m reasonably well placed to gauge the mood of businesspeople, public servants, educators, community leaders and everyday Australians about the lie of the land.

At PwC we spend a lot of time thinking about potential. In fact our vision is to realise and discover the potential of dot dot dot businesses, people, communities, reforms and ideas. And, inevitably, we aim to realise and discover the potential of the country itself.

That’s what I want to talk about today — realising Australia’s full potential.

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